Page 32 of Asher's Assignment
“All right. Well, I’ll be back in an hour.” She pushed the door open and stepped out.
“Call me if things get weird.”
“Things are usually weird with Rob, but if they get weirder, you’ll be the first to know.” She closed the door.
A slight frown knit Asher’s eyebrows together as she walked to the door. She knocked, and he heard the muffled bark of a small dog inside. A moment later, the door swung open. The man who answered did so with a scowl. His gaze flicked to Asher’s car, then he said something to Esther. He couldn’t see more than the side of her face, but it was enough to know she replied. Whatever she said must have been satisfactory, because Rob stepped back and let her in.
Asher’s anxiety level ratcheted up as the door closed. He didn’t like her being in there on her own. Not after what he’d discovered about the man and what she’d said about him. But he didn’t have a choice. Being close by was the best he could do.
He lifted his coffee and took another drink, grimacing again at the taste. Why was he still drinking it? Opening his door, he dumped the contents onto the road. He was tempted to get out and walk around. See if any curtains fluttered or if anyone disappeared back into their houses. He didn’t see anyone watching, but he could only see into the windows of a few homes on the street from this vantage point.
Glancing down the road, he decided to wait for a bit. People would let their guards down if he waited until she’d been inside for a while. He reached into the backseat and lifted the satchel he’d brought into his lap. Digging inside, he removed a tablet and flipped open the cover to take notes. Asher jotted down the license plate and vehicle description for every car close enough for him to read. Right now, he didn’t intend to do anything with the information, but he’d have it if it became necessary.
Thirty-five minutes into his wait, a man walked around the corner down the block. He wore a dark tan hoodie, which was up over his head, obscuring his face.
Asher sat a little straighter.
The man walked toward him, head turned slightly to the side, his gaze on the Tylers’ house. Asher lifted his phone, opening the camera app and snapped some pictures. Dean would yell at him for not having a proper camera, but it couldn’t be helped. He’d do the best he could to enhance the images later. Not that it would do much; he couldn’t see the guy’s face.
Getting closer, the man’s attention shifted. He looked away from the Tylers’ and perused the street. Sunglasses covered his face. With the hood pulled low, all Asher could see was a chin. The man was white.
Twenty yards away, the man paused. He’d spotted Asher’s car.
“Come closer, you bastard,” Asher muttered. He wanted a better shot of his face.
But the guy didn’t listen. He turned around and briskly walked away.
“Oh, uh-uh.” Asher got out of the car and hurried after him. He didn’t know what he’d say when he caught up, but he’d make up something.
“Excuse me. Sir?” Asher called.
The man glanced back, then began to jog.
Asher muttered a curse and picked up his pace. “Sir?”
The guy took off at a full sprint.
“Hey!”
His shoes slapped against the potmarked concrete sidewalk as he chased after him. The man rounded the corner, blocked from view by the houses. Asher ran faster, not wanting to lose him. He soon made it to the corner, but when he turned onto the next street, it was empty.
Slowing to a jog, he glanced between the houses and listened. A little dog barked across the street, but the animal was inside. Asher could see it through the front window. It stared at him and yipped.
Running all the way to the next intersection, he paused and glanced both ways. There was no one on the street. A glimpse inside the few vehicles parked along the road showed that they were empty. He muttered a curse and turned around. With his head on a swivel, hoping to catch a glimpse of the guy, he made it back to his car.
Angry that the man had gotten away, he got in and slammed the door. Whoever that was knew this neighborhood well. The question was, did the man live around here, or had he been watching the Tylers’ home long enough to know the neighborhood?
“Dammit!” He smacked the steering wheel.
Either way, Asher wouldn’t likely see the man around here again.
Twelve
The ceiling fan whirred over Esther’s head, tousling the fine hairs resting on her forehead. She rolled over for the hundredth time and huffed. Sleep was not coming easily tonight. Now that she was alone and had nothing to do but listen to her thoughts, she couldn’t make them shut up. Who was the man Asher saw? Why was he watching the Tylers’ house? Why would he run away? Was he the same man who’d stared at her through her window? She didn’t know—had no way to find out. But her brain didn’t care. It kept cycling through the questions, keeping her awake.
Esther rolled over and picked up her phone, opening the doorbell app. Her darkened street stared back.
“Ugh.” She turned off the screen and set the phone down. “You need to stop, Essy. It’ll alert you if someone’s there. Go to sleep.”
